To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed the entire object, paste this HTML in websiteTo link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed this page, paste this HTML in website

VOLUME 1
ISSUE 14
MAY, 1980
The newspaper from the Twin
Gay and Lesbian Community
Doug Victor moves for dismissal,
claims $100,000 damages
Gay Pride Week 1980 Plans
Analysis by Tim Campbell
Doug Victor, one of nine men
arrested at the Lock Room for acts
considered "revolting" by
Minneapolis vice squad officers on
December 1, 1979, appeared
before Judge Kenneth Jack Gill
Thursday, April 17, to argue that
charges against him should be
dismissed and presented notice of
claim for $100,000 in damages to
the Mayor, City Council and City
Attorney's offices. Judge Gill first
refused to hear the motions,
claiming that he had not signed the
complaint but was convinced
within several hours that he had,
and took the matter into court.
Roger Battreal, Assistant City
Attorney for Minneapolis claimed
that the City had not had time to
prepare a brief and Judge Gill
granted thirty days continuance.
The majority of the other nine
arrested have copped pleas and
accepted fines, or have asked for
continuances until Victor's case is
litigated.
Victor was ostensibly agitated by
Gill's refusal to hear the matter and
told a crowd that had gathered to
show support and follow the case,
"I will be heard today." Victor's
supporters, two women friends
from the University of Minnesota
and leaders from virtually every
faction within the gay men's
community, milled around in the
halls outside Gill's court from 1:00
p.m. until 3:30 p.m. when the
Judge eventually heard Victor's
oral arguments, presented by
attorney Jeffrey R. Anderson, a
family man from St. Paul.
The cops' preparation
Minneapolis vice squal officers
have claimed that their visits to the
Locker Room Health Club were
originally based on complaints
from citizens. They have however
consistently failed to produce
copies of those complaints when
requested by the press and by
members of the gay community.
Police accounts of the arrests
trace the complaint back no further
than to instructions from vice
squad head Kenneth Tidgwell
received on November 21. Sgts.
Tom Billings and Shanahan toured
the Locker Room on that date and
rjjpde no arrests. Billings account
of the visit states, "We observed
numerous males either naked or
covered with a towel walking
throughout the building or laying
(sic) on beds in the above
mentioned rooms. We also
observed two rooms with a large
amount of bunk beds. At that time
there were several males lying on
these beds either naked or covered
with a towel. We observed at least
three couples (males) (sic) on some
of these beds. In the hallway next
to one of these rooms I observed a
large blackboard. At the top of this
black board written in paint were
the words TFA, FUCKER.
FUCKEE.' Below these words
were columns and alongside the
columns were room numbers
written in chalk."
Sgt. Robert Nelson tells a slightly
altered version of this story in his
statement. "Off. Billings related to
me that he noted numerous men
throughout the business naked,
and wearing only towels. He stated
he had also noted numerous men
together in embrace and apparently committing acts of indecent
conduct and sodomy." (Emphasis
added.) Nelson alleges.
Nelson concluded that there was
sufficient evidence of crime to
warrant an undercover visit which
he made alone November 27.
During ten minutes time at
approximately 10:00 p.m., Nelson
claims he noted "numerous males
in various stages of sexual activity
including consensual sodomy and
indecent conduct" but that he did
not feel it was "appropriate at the
time to take action."
COPS VERSION OF THE
RAID
Sgt. G. Weimar of the Street
Crimes Unit begins his account of
the raid starting as early as 4:00 the
previous afternoon stating, "On
November 30, 1979, when I reported for duty at 4:00 p.m., I was
informed by my partner Sgt.
Brodin that the Vice wanted our
unit to assist them at 11:00 p.m. It
was decided that probably two
additional uniformed squads from
the first precinct should be used.
Myself and the Vice officers went to
Headquarters and advised Capt.
G. Johnson of the plan. He said he
would offer any help necessary but
preferred the raid occur earlier or
later because of shift change. He
offered that the business usually is
not frequented until approximately
bar closing time by many
individuals. We decided to wait. I
also called for available Canine
cars to meet me and spoke to
Officer Mattson and Officer
Desjardine and told them of our
plan. At approximately 1:10 a.m.,
I received word on short wave
channel 4 to move in. We went
directly to the location and myself
along with Officers Erickson,
Violette and Desjardine went up
the second floor and found the
door to be closed and locked.
Once inside, I observed several
men dressed in only towels. I
observed some men embracing.
We were led down the hall further
and I observed a couple of larger
rooms which had no doors. The
rooms were dimly lit, however the
hallways were lit and one could see
the activity inside. When I first
looked into the room, I observed
naked males on several bunks.
Some appeared to be sleeping.
Others were embracing or having
sexual activities. On the first bunk
immediately to my right from the
door, the upper bunk. I observed a
WM lying on his back with another
WM sitting on his chest with his
penis in the party's mouth. They
were placed under arrest. These
parties were iDed as MSK. who
Erf
§§§■.;■
HRS|k
"¥
DOUG VICTOR
Photo: MN. DAILY
JEFF ANDERSON
was kneeling on the other parties
chest; the other party was IDed as
JPM. After handcuffing the above
two parties and obtaining their
names, I could not remember
which other parties I had observed
involved in sexual activity. I
requested at least one more
uniform car to the scene. Several
did come. Officers from the Headquarters Division, Traffic Division
and Northside Precinct had come
to the business. I again went
upstairs and found that the doors
to the small rooms had been
unlocked and opened. When I first
arrived, most were closed and
locked. One room I recall had
several photographs of children
involved in sexual activity on the
wall, others had photos of men
engaged in sexual activity being
whipped. I observed rubber
penises in numerous rooms. I
observed marijuana or what
appeared to be marijuana pipes
and other smoking paraphernalia
which in my experience is used in
smoking marijuana. I took these
items and gave them to Officer
Billings. I observed in the shower a
tube connected to the faucet and I
believe its function was to clean out
anal areas of the body. I observed
no misconduct on the part of the
parties under arrest nor from the
officers involved. The group
cooperated very well to directions
that were given them by police."
The Target City Coalition's Gay
Pride Committee began planning
for summer three months ago. The
early start has meant more time to
plan more events. In addition to
the annual parade and Loring Park
picnic there will be a full week of
activities. Gay Pride Week will be
from June 23-June 29, a news
release from the committee
announced. "Actually, there'll
probably be more than a week of
activities if all our plans can be
worked out," says chief coordinator Brad Golden, who also
coordinated last year's Gay Pride
celebration. "We're working on a
chartgered bus trip to Sioux Falls
the weekend before, and a Town
Hall Meeting for the whole gay
community the week after Gay
Pride Week."
The Gay Pride Committee's
news release announces seven
major events as finalized:
• On Monday, June 23, there
will be a memorial service dedicating the week's festivities to "all
those victimized gay people in
history who couldn't celebrate in
their own lifetimes." It will take
place at noon in the Minneapolis
City Hall around the marble statue
of the Father of Waters.
• On Tuesday there will be a
half-price night at most of the bars
and baths to all who display a Gay
Pride button.
• On Thursday there will be a 3-
hour riverboat cruise on the Josiah
Snelling, starting in St. Paul. "This
is the only fundraiser planned for
the week," said Golden. The $8
tickets will net the committee $3
(See Page 9)
Panel Discusses Politics
of the Gay 80 V
(See ARGUMENTS page 2)
By Craig Ketchum
'In Europe they call themselves
'Christian Democrats,' " said Tom
Burke, "no real advances in gay
rights have come from the DFL."
Burke was among the most vocal
at a gay and lesbian panel
discussion at the University of
Minnesota. That sentiment was
echoed by Phil Willkie, "I think we
elected the wrong man to be
mayor." Would Mike Barros, the
IR candidate, who openly
supported gay and lesbian rights,
been better? All, but Karen Clark,
DFL candidate for the state senate,
remained verbally uneasy with
unquestioned gay and lesbian
support of the DFL.
The meeting displayed a cross-
section of leadership in state and
local gay and lesbian groups. The
four panelists were Tom Burke,
Karen Clark, B.J. Metzger, and
Phil Willkie. Old hostilities never
surfaced as the panel coalesed on
most of the issues. All affirmed that
the gay and lesbian movements
had been successful in the past
decade.
The meeting, "Gay Rights into
the 80's," organized by Ed Horton
and Craig Ketchum, sponsored by
the University Lesbian/Gay
Community, took place on Thursday, April 10.
As for the coming decade,
various proposals came from the
panel. Willkie stated that a gay
community center (library,
restaurant, and referral center)
needed to be developed. He also
stated that the bars earned millions
from the gay community and
should be willing to hold regular
fundraisers for gay rights groups.
He took offense to the Gay
Ninety's lack of cooperation with
the; fundraiser held at the Y'all
Come Back Saloon (a competing
bar).
Speaking of the average
person's contribution to gay
progress, Metzger said, "coming
out is the most political thing you
can do. I come out to new people
every day. I think sometimes I'm
afraid of it, and it's not always very
easy.
Metzger also added, "you have
got to realize that housing and
energy policy effect gays and
lesbians too, so you've got to join
community groups. " "Go there
and say you're a single head of
household, that you need the
same benefits."
Of her own work for the gay and
lesbian communities, Metzger said,
"I work eight hours a day
supporting two other people, and
eight hours a day for the
movement. One of those two
people, my spouse, gives all of her
time to the movement. Really, I
hate my job, but I have to work to
bring in the money."
Burke, Chair Director of Target
City Coalition, made the most
outstanding comments. Burke
accused the Democratic party and
the Christian church of disrupting
individualistic thinking. He
attacked their methods of "control"
over the population through fear,
intimidation, and coercion.
"The democrats demand
complete loyalty to their party's
platform and candidates. I will not
support Karen Clark because she
belongs to a party that won't
support me," said Burke.
"The church is another thing,
they have a pretty clear idea of
what we want. We want the same
financing that straight groups
receive. We want sex education to
include gay lifestyles. Everything
we want from the state lessens the
church's control over the
individual's decisions. What we
want to do will threaten to topple
their whole 2000 year old system."
Each panelist indicated that
burn-out for political activists was
common. Most had methods for
coping with fading energies.
Willkie said to the contrary, "I get
more energy from the more I do,
and with each gay activity I
attend."
Willkie cited Anita Bryant as the
most effective device for the gay
movement. Her martyrdom was a
flop, and added support and
direction to the movement.

VOLUME 1
ISSUE 14
MAY, 1980
The newspaper from the Twin
Gay and Lesbian Community
Doug Victor moves for dismissal,
claims $100,000 damages
Gay Pride Week 1980 Plans
Analysis by Tim Campbell
Doug Victor, one of nine men
arrested at the Lock Room for acts
considered "revolting" by
Minneapolis vice squad officers on
December 1, 1979, appeared
before Judge Kenneth Jack Gill
Thursday, April 17, to argue that
charges against him should be
dismissed and presented notice of
claim for $100,000 in damages to
the Mayor, City Council and City
Attorney's offices. Judge Gill first
refused to hear the motions,
claiming that he had not signed the
complaint but was convinced
within several hours that he had,
and took the matter into court.
Roger Battreal, Assistant City
Attorney for Minneapolis claimed
that the City had not had time to
prepare a brief and Judge Gill
granted thirty days continuance.
The majority of the other nine
arrested have copped pleas and
accepted fines, or have asked for
continuances until Victor's case is
litigated.
Victor was ostensibly agitated by
Gill's refusal to hear the matter and
told a crowd that had gathered to
show support and follow the case,
"I will be heard today." Victor's
supporters, two women friends
from the University of Minnesota
and leaders from virtually every
faction within the gay men's
community, milled around in the
halls outside Gill's court from 1:00
p.m. until 3:30 p.m. when the
Judge eventually heard Victor's
oral arguments, presented by
attorney Jeffrey R. Anderson, a
family man from St. Paul.
The cops' preparation
Minneapolis vice squal officers
have claimed that their visits to the
Locker Room Health Club were
originally based on complaints
from citizens. They have however
consistently failed to produce
copies of those complaints when
requested by the press and by
members of the gay community.
Police accounts of the arrests
trace the complaint back no further
than to instructions from vice
squad head Kenneth Tidgwell
received on November 21. Sgts.
Tom Billings and Shanahan toured
the Locker Room on that date and
rjjpde no arrests. Billings account
of the visit states, "We observed
numerous males either naked or
covered with a towel walking
throughout the building or laying
(sic) on beds in the above
mentioned rooms. We also
observed two rooms with a large
amount of bunk beds. At that time
there were several males lying on
these beds either naked or covered
with a towel. We observed at least
three couples (males) (sic) on some
of these beds. In the hallway next
to one of these rooms I observed a
large blackboard. At the top of this
black board written in paint were
the words TFA, FUCKER.
FUCKEE.' Below these words
were columns and alongside the
columns were room numbers
written in chalk."
Sgt. Robert Nelson tells a slightly
altered version of this story in his
statement. "Off. Billings related to
me that he noted numerous men
throughout the business naked,
and wearing only towels. He stated
he had also noted numerous men
together in embrace and apparently committing acts of indecent
conduct and sodomy." (Emphasis
added.) Nelson alleges.
Nelson concluded that there was
sufficient evidence of crime to
warrant an undercover visit which
he made alone November 27.
During ten minutes time at
approximately 10:00 p.m., Nelson
claims he noted "numerous males
in various stages of sexual activity
including consensual sodomy and
indecent conduct" but that he did
not feel it was "appropriate at the
time to take action."
COPS VERSION OF THE
RAID
Sgt. G. Weimar of the Street
Crimes Unit begins his account of
the raid starting as early as 4:00 the
previous afternoon stating, "On
November 30, 1979, when I reported for duty at 4:00 p.m., I was
informed by my partner Sgt.
Brodin that the Vice wanted our
unit to assist them at 11:00 p.m. It
was decided that probably two
additional uniformed squads from
the first precinct should be used.
Myself and the Vice officers went to
Headquarters and advised Capt.
G. Johnson of the plan. He said he
would offer any help necessary but
preferred the raid occur earlier or
later because of shift change. He
offered that the business usually is
not frequented until approximately
bar closing time by many
individuals. We decided to wait. I
also called for available Canine
cars to meet me and spoke to
Officer Mattson and Officer
Desjardine and told them of our
plan. At approximately 1:10 a.m.,
I received word on short wave
channel 4 to move in. We went
directly to the location and myself
along with Officers Erickson,
Violette and Desjardine went up
the second floor and found the
door to be closed and locked.
Once inside, I observed several
men dressed in only towels. I
observed some men embracing.
We were led down the hall further
and I observed a couple of larger
rooms which had no doors. The
rooms were dimly lit, however the
hallways were lit and one could see
the activity inside. When I first
looked into the room, I observed
naked males on several bunks.
Some appeared to be sleeping.
Others were embracing or having
sexual activities. On the first bunk
immediately to my right from the
door, the upper bunk. I observed a
WM lying on his back with another
WM sitting on his chest with his
penis in the party's mouth. They
were placed under arrest. These
parties were iDed as MSK. who
Erf
§§§■.;■
HRS|k
"¥
DOUG VICTOR
Photo: MN. DAILY
JEFF ANDERSON
was kneeling on the other parties
chest; the other party was IDed as
JPM. After handcuffing the above
two parties and obtaining their
names, I could not remember
which other parties I had observed
involved in sexual activity. I
requested at least one more
uniform car to the scene. Several
did come. Officers from the Headquarters Division, Traffic Division
and Northside Precinct had come
to the business. I again went
upstairs and found that the doors
to the small rooms had been
unlocked and opened. When I first
arrived, most were closed and
locked. One room I recall had
several photographs of children
involved in sexual activity on the
wall, others had photos of men
engaged in sexual activity being
whipped. I observed rubber
penises in numerous rooms. I
observed marijuana or what
appeared to be marijuana pipes
and other smoking paraphernalia
which in my experience is used in
smoking marijuana. I took these
items and gave them to Officer
Billings. I observed in the shower a
tube connected to the faucet and I
believe its function was to clean out
anal areas of the body. I observed
no misconduct on the part of the
parties under arrest nor from the
officers involved. The group
cooperated very well to directions
that were given them by police."
The Target City Coalition's Gay
Pride Committee began planning
for summer three months ago. The
early start has meant more time to
plan more events. In addition to
the annual parade and Loring Park
picnic there will be a full week of
activities. Gay Pride Week will be
from June 23-June 29, a news
release from the committee
announced. "Actually, there'll
probably be more than a week of
activities if all our plans can be
worked out," says chief coordinator Brad Golden, who also
coordinated last year's Gay Pride
celebration. "We're working on a
chartgered bus trip to Sioux Falls
the weekend before, and a Town
Hall Meeting for the whole gay
community the week after Gay
Pride Week."
The Gay Pride Committee's
news release announces seven
major events as finalized:
• On Monday, June 23, there
will be a memorial service dedicating the week's festivities to "all
those victimized gay people in
history who couldn't celebrate in
their own lifetimes." It will take
place at noon in the Minneapolis
City Hall around the marble statue
of the Father of Waters.
• On Tuesday there will be a
half-price night at most of the bars
and baths to all who display a Gay
Pride button.
• On Thursday there will be a 3-
hour riverboat cruise on the Josiah
Snelling, starting in St. Paul. "This
is the only fundraiser planned for
the week," said Golden. The $8
tickets will net the committee $3
(See Page 9)
Panel Discusses Politics
of the Gay 80 V
(See ARGUMENTS page 2)
By Craig Ketchum
'In Europe they call themselves
'Christian Democrats,' " said Tom
Burke, "no real advances in gay
rights have come from the DFL."
Burke was among the most vocal
at a gay and lesbian panel
discussion at the University of
Minnesota. That sentiment was
echoed by Phil Willkie, "I think we
elected the wrong man to be
mayor." Would Mike Barros, the
IR candidate, who openly
supported gay and lesbian rights,
been better? All, but Karen Clark,
DFL candidate for the state senate,
remained verbally uneasy with
unquestioned gay and lesbian
support of the DFL.
The meeting displayed a cross-
section of leadership in state and
local gay and lesbian groups. The
four panelists were Tom Burke,
Karen Clark, B.J. Metzger, and
Phil Willkie. Old hostilities never
surfaced as the panel coalesed on
most of the issues. All affirmed that
the gay and lesbian movements
had been successful in the past
decade.
The meeting, "Gay Rights into
the 80's," organized by Ed Horton
and Craig Ketchum, sponsored by
the University Lesbian/Gay
Community, took place on Thursday, April 10.
As for the coming decade,
various proposals came from the
panel. Willkie stated that a gay
community center (library,
restaurant, and referral center)
needed to be developed. He also
stated that the bars earned millions
from the gay community and
should be willing to hold regular
fundraisers for gay rights groups.
He took offense to the Gay
Ninety's lack of cooperation with
the; fundraiser held at the Y'all
Come Back Saloon (a competing
bar).
Speaking of the average
person's contribution to gay
progress, Metzger said, "coming
out is the most political thing you
can do. I come out to new people
every day. I think sometimes I'm
afraid of it, and it's not always very
easy.
Metzger also added, "you have
got to realize that housing and
energy policy effect gays and
lesbians too, so you've got to join
community groups. " "Go there
and say you're a single head of
household, that you need the
same benefits."
Of her own work for the gay and
lesbian communities, Metzger said,
"I work eight hours a day
supporting two other people, and
eight hours a day for the
movement. One of those two
people, my spouse, gives all of her
time to the movement. Really, I
hate my job, but I have to work to
bring in the money."
Burke, Chair Director of Target
City Coalition, made the most
outstanding comments. Burke
accused the Democratic party and
the Christian church of disrupting
individualistic thinking. He
attacked their methods of "control"
over the population through fear,
intimidation, and coercion.
"The democrats demand
complete loyalty to their party's
platform and candidates. I will not
support Karen Clark because she
belongs to a party that won't
support me," said Burke.
"The church is another thing,
they have a pretty clear idea of
what we want. We want the same
financing that straight groups
receive. We want sex education to
include gay lifestyles. Everything
we want from the state lessens the
church's control over the
individual's decisions. What we
want to do will threaten to topple
their whole 2000 year old system."
Each panelist indicated that
burn-out for political activists was
common. Most had methods for
coping with fading energies.
Willkie said to the contrary, "I get
more energy from the more I do,
and with each gay activity I
attend."
Willkie cited Anita Bryant as the
most effective device for the gay
movement. Her martyrdom was a
flop, and added support and
direction to the movement.